Tiny missing horse found on roof

A MINIATURE horse that went missing during Japan's devastating floods last week has been found alive and stranded on a roof.

Leaf, a nine-year-old mare used for animal therapy at the Life Town Mabi aged care facility in the Mabicho district of Kakehashi, vanished on July 6 along with her colt, Earth, when floodwaters swept through the region on Friday.

Staff had been forced to release the pair after torrential rains forced an evacuation of the facility.

The assumption was that Leaf, who was acquired from a farm in Osaka, had drowned, but one Life Town employee refused to give up hope.

Mari Tanimoto, 49, who had taken care of Leaf at the facility, believed the horse might have survived by swimming to higher ground, according to The Asahi Shimbun.

Once the waters receded, Ms Tanimoto started searching the surrounding mountains for the lost animal and her one-year-old colt.

Locals were treated to the bizarre sight of Leaf the miniature horse stranded on the roof of a private home three days after going missing in floodwaters. Picture: Courtesy of Peace Winds Japan

It turns out her faith in Leaf was well placed.

On Monday, a rescue team from disaster relief charity Peace Winds Japan came across a bizarre sight as they made there way to a school that had been functioning as a temporary evacuation shelter.

It was a tiny horse, caked in mud, standing on the roof of a private home just a few kilometres from Life Town.

The team was making arrangements for a specialist team to extract Leaf from her perilous position when the mare lost her footing, falling two metres to the ground, The Japan Times reported.

Somehow, the horse managed to survive with only minor injuries to one leg.

Leaf after she was rescued from a roof top three days after having been swept away in floodwaters. The horse was found caked in mud with a minor injury to one leg. Picture: Courtesy of Peace Winds Japan

"I was really worried about Leaf because I could not search for her," Ms Tanimoto told reporters as she stroked the horse's face during an emotional reunion with the animal yesterday.